The Government has recommended the location of 12 new towns across England, following an independent report that recommended schemes, but has only committed to build three in this Parliament. It said it “is prepared to progress work on a far larger range of locations if it proves possible.”
The Ministry of Housing said in a statement that it “welcomes all 12 recommended locations and the report’s wider recommendations on delivery and implementation.” It said that sites in Tempsford in Bedfordshire, Crews Hill in Enfield, and Leeds South Bank “looked most promising,” hinting these could be the three that go ahead.
A New Towns Unit will be established to :
“progress development and work with all departments and their agencies to ensure new towns are a test bed for innovation and to unblock barriers to delivery.”
The New Towns Taskforce, led by Sir Michael Lyons, has recommended a mixture of large-scale communities including urban extensions, urban regeneration, and standalone greenfield sites should be built. It said each new town should have “at least 10,000 homes with an ambition for a minimum of 40% affordable housing and half of which will be for social rent.”
The Government commented: “No final decisions on locations will be made until the conclusion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment.” It said it will publish the draft proposals and final SEA for consultation in spring 2026.
The 12 recommended locations are:
- A standalone settlement in Adlington, Cheshire East.
- A corridor of connected development in South Gloucestershire.
- An expanded development (Chase Park and Crews Hill) in Enfield.
- Redevelopment of the former airbase at Heyford Park in Cherwell.
- Urban development in Leeds.
- Inner-city development and densification in Manchester (Victoria North).
- A standalone settlement in Marlcombe, East Devon; strengthening the region’s labour supply and supporting the Exeter and East Devon Enterprise Zone.
- A ‘Renewed Town’ in Milton Keynes; “reinvigorating the city centre.“
- Densified development in Plymouth.
- A new settlement in Tempsford, Central Bedfordshire.
- A new “riverside settlement” in Thamesmead, Greenwich.
- Expanded development at Worcestershire Parkway, Wychavon.